The back of Irena’s knees hit the edge of the mattress and she fell onto the king-sized bed. Chago came down beside her, his body pressed to hers from chest to toes. Delighted, she wrapped her arms around his neck, eyes closed and heart yearning for more. Their kisses deepened, his hands burrowing into her pale blond hair and undoing her braids. He groaned, trailing kisses from her jaw to her neck, then buried his face at the thudding pulse point at the base of her throat. Lost in sensation, Irena took off his cowboy hat and tossed it aside before sinking her fingers deep into his midnight black curls, clinging to him as she parted her legs, one knee bent to rest against his hip.

She wanted more. She wanted all of him.

He traced his fingers down her sides and caught the hem of her T-shirt, raising it above her breasts, his movements lacking their usual grace in the heat of passion. He stared at Irena a moment before tugging the garment over her head, leaving her in just her bra from the waist up. Desperate to see him too, she went to work on the snaps of his denim shirt, but her fingers felt clumsy. Finally, he brushed her hands aside and knelt between her legs to yank the stupid thing open, stripper-style, then tugged it off. Her gaze drifted over his taut torso—hard muscles, washboard abs, the thin line of dark hair that went down, down, down to disappear beneath the waistband of his jeans.

Chago had ink too, a tattoo below his belly button.

Irena was on the verge of purring just from the sight of him.

His gaze darkened, traveling from her face to her lacy red bra to her stomach, then lower still. From his wicked smile, he liked what he saw.

There was a second of hesitation, then they were on each other again, his bare chest rubbing against her skin, the contact thrilling her—hard and rough and purely male. She traced her fingers over the expanse of his back, exploring every warm, smooth inch. She’d ached for him for so long and wanted this moment to last forever. Hooking her legs around his waist, Irena dug her heels into his firm backside. Chago ground against her, seemingly as desperate as she was for this to happen.

Then he reached beneath her to unhook her bra, slowly removing it. The air was cool against her breasts, but he soon warmed them with his hands and mouth. She arched, unable to hold back her cries of pleasure. This was so much better than her fantasies.

He growled, pulling her closer. She gripped his waist, loving the way his muscles tensed beneath her touch. He felt so good. She could spend hours exploring all of him, but her passion was too fierce. She plunged her hands inside the gap between his jeans and his lower back, inside his boxers and over the rise of his taut butt. Chago hissed, kissing his way down her abdomen to the button at the waist of her jeans, making fast work of her fly. She toed off her shoes and he slid the jeans off her trembling legs. Irena watched him remove the rest of his clothes as well, his cock jutting proudly, a bead of moisture pearling at its tip.

She licked her lips, wanting to taste him.

He pulled a tiny foil packet from the nightstand drawer then ripped it open with his teeth. After smoothing on the condom, Chago knelt beside her to tug off her panties. Parting her thighs, he traced his hands up her inner thighs to stroke her slick folds. She moaned, begging for more. He didn’t disappoint, sliding two fingers inside her slick channel while his thumb caressed her sensitive clit. Tension coiled tighter inside her and she clutched the comforter in her fists.

Heat rushed through her from head to toe as he brought her closer to the edge. Then he flicked his tongue over her swollen clitoris and she nearly passed out, needing this, needing him, so badly. He moaned against her sensitive flesh, the sound of his desire increasing her own. Irena surrendered to the rising tide of orgasm.

“Please…” She squeezed her eyes shut, sparks sizzling along her nerve endings. Her birthmark seared hotter, urging her to take control and force him to make her come.

“Please what?” His dark eyes sparkled with challenge as he met her gaze up the length of her body. “Say it.”

“Make me come.”

“As you command.” He slid a finger third finger inside her, stretching her, preparing her for him, thrusting deep. Irena writhed, his sweet torture heaven and hell all rolled into one. He pumped within her slow and steady, maddening her with his teasing pace. Then he stopped completely, kissing his way up the length of her body, his hard cock brushing her thigh as he settled between her legs. Chago positioned his cock at her wet entrance, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, thinking only of him, inside her, where she wanted him most. Only then would she win this war.

Her thoughts snagged on that odd thought.

This wasn’t war. This was sex, glorious sex. Desire, need, want. Never a battle. A joining of wills.

That strange power rippled through her again, along with an overwhelming urge to take what she wanted, consequences be damned.

“Irena,” he whispered against her lips. “I’m yours. Always.”

The force of those words made her breath hitch. She yearned for him to quell the raging inferno he’d ignited within her from the first time she’d seen him three years ago.

Mine.

She moaned, encouraging him to take her.

He eased his cock inside her, inch by delicious inch, until he was fully buried. Then he stopped, their bodies intimately joined and his face level with hers. He brushed the hair from her heated cheek. She stilled, enjoying the moment. The golden flecks in his eyes were more pronounced, brighter with heat and passion.

“My Chago,” she said and he smiled.

“Yours.” He kissed her. “Always.”

Then he moved, thrusting slow and steady, and the flames within her burned hotter. She cried out as he drove them closer to the brink.

“Irena.” He grunted, his pace quickening until it became frantic. She raised her hips, her nails digging into his shoulders. She wanted it rougher, quicker, a violent victory to match the scorching need in her veins. Irena clutched his backside, teetering on the brink of orgasm. Close, so close. Blood rushed through her ears, drowning out everything but this man, this moment. “More. More. Yes!”

Pleasure rippled through her body. Chago threw his head back and groaned deep, coming hard along with her as the world shattered into a million iridescent shards of bliss.

The waves of sensation gradually subsided and he collapsed atop her, his head resting in the valley between her breasts, his warm breath ghosting over her skin.

She stroked his hair, their breaths slowing. Chago rolled off her and Irena glanced over to see the tattoo on his lower abdomen. She stroked the swirling lines, but he caught her wrist. Murmuring under his breath, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm, his eyes closed.

The air around them chilled and she shivered.

Chago padded to the bathroom, returning a few minutes later to draw her into his arms and spoon her from behind. He drew the covers over them, his breath evening out into the patterns of sleep.

The last rays of sun drifted through the curtains. Irena yawned and closed her eyes. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept well. With the stress of running the diner, then Chago going missing, she’d not gotten a solid eight hours in weeks. She snuggled closer to him and his arm tightened around her waist.

Sleep wouldn’t be a problem tonight.

He’d called her beautiful. He’d wanted her. Irena wasn’t sure where this would lead or if he’d change his mind, but they’d discuss things in the morning and decide where to go from here.